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RUSTON – Many might argue that game one of an eight-game conference schedule presents too small a sample size and is way too early to gauge if a team stands a chance to make its league’s title showcase.

Under normal circumstances, I would agree with those folks. I’m usually cautious and so much can happen over the course of a season.

But this week, I’m throwing caution to the wind and I’m here to tell you Saturday night’s clash between Louisiana Tech (2-1) and North Texas (4-0) at Apogee Stadium, a heavyweight slugfest of the clear top two Conference USA West squads, fits all the markers to tell us who’ll be the front-runner to represent their division come the first weekend in December.

For the Bulldogs, this is judgment week. And here’s why.

I believe we all can agree from what we’ve seen through just a quarter of the regular season, including this past Saturday’s showdown at now No. 5 LSU from Tech, it’s reclaimed the status as one of the three best teams in C-USA after last season’s struggles. Barring any overlooking opponents or disastrous meltdowns in the following weeks, the Bulldogs possess all the necessary qualities to beat UAB at home (Oct. 6), UTSA on the road, the conference cellar dwellers UTEP, Rice and Western Kentucky.

It’s a rivalry game on the road, so you can’t downplay that, but with all the issues that have plagued Southern Miss so far, Louisiana Tech clearly is head-and-shoulders above the Golden Eagles in terms of on-the-field product this year.

That leaves only two league foes left, the clear Conference USA East favorites Florida Atlantic, a Friday night matchup to close the month of October down in Boca Raton, and this weekend’s collision with the league’s frontrunner for MVP Mason Fine and the Mean Green.

The preseason pick to repeat as West champs, undefeated North Texas, which received 10 votes in this week’s AP Top 25 poll, has a big road victory over the SEC’s Arkansas and a 23-point win over SMU. Led by Fine, the preseason All-C-USA quarterback, the Mean Green have lit up opposing defenses averaging 48.8 points, scoring at least 44 in every contest, and have shredded foes for 510 yards per game. The junior signal caller leads the league with 1,381 passing yards and has 10 touchdowns so far. Three receivers have more than 200 yards, and Rico Bussey has five touchdown receptions.

On the ground, Loren Easly and DeAndre Torrey have combined for seven rushing touchdowns for a run game that is seventh in the conference averaging 165.5 yards.

What’s most surprising about North Texas is the incredible leap it’s made on the defensive side of the ball in year three under head coach Seth Littrell. It’s Conference USA’s top defense in points allowed at 15.8 points – almost 20 points less than what teams scored on it in 2017 – and given up just eight touchdowns through four games. The Mean Green rank second in total yards, surrendering 308 yards to offenses, and it starts in defending the run, allowing 99 yards on the ground.

North Texas came to Ruston last year and downed the Bulldogs, 24-23, in a dogfight. Saturday, Skip Holtz and his team will look to return the favor. And to me, they are more than capable to do so on the road against a team that’s riding high.

Tech did just that last weekend against a more talented opponent and in a much more hostile environment in Death Valley. It found itself down, 24-0, after the first 22 minutes of play but clawed its way back into the game, trailing LSU by just three early in the fourth quarter.

You have to be able to make in-game adjustments and the Bulldogs demonstrated they can do that, silencing the Tigers’ dominant run game after the early onslaught. Put in tough spots early and giving up a few tough touchdowns early, Blake Baker’s defense exhibited unflappable composure to help Louisiana Tech back in the ballgame led by Jaylon Ferguson and Amik Robertson.

Pass protection had been suspect after the first couple of weeks, but the offensive line pieced together a remarkable effort versus the aggressive front seven for the Tigers, keeping redshirt junior quarterback J’Mar Smith clean nearly the entire game. Just as important, Tech’s offense fully displayed the improvements it’s made in a year’s time, with Smith orchestrating arguably the best performance of his career and other guys like redshirt sophomore wide out Adrian Hardy battling back after a rough start.

The 38-21 loss to LSU helped the Bulldogs “find their identity” as Smith said after the game and the timing of that revelation couldn’t be more perfect with a trip to Denton upcoming.

What Tech showed Saturday is that it can handle adversity, that it truly believes it’s never out of a game, key characteristics successful teams must have.

More growth is needed, particularly the receivers finding more consistency in catching passes and more contribution from the run game to offer more balance offensively heading into a crucial matchup with the Mean Green, where a win could catapult Louisiana Tech back to where it’s resided for the majority of the last four years.

Tech appears ready for Judgment Week. All that’s left now is delivering.

Follow Cory Diaz on Twitter @CoryDiaz_TNS and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CoryDiazTNS/